Fastener for hat-form springs



C. L. GEARHART.

FASTENER FOR HAT FORM SPRINGS.

APPLICATION men FEB. 26. 1920.

1,369,418. Patented Feb-22, 1921.

UNITED STATES CLAUDE L. GEARHART, OF WILLIAMSON, WEST VIRGINIA.

FASTENER FOR HAT-FORM SPRINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

Application filed February 26, 1920. Serial No. 361,518.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE L. GEAR- HART citizen of the United States residing at VVilliamson, in the county of Mingo and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Hat-Form Springs, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends improvements in fasteners and more part1cularly, comprises a fastener or grip especially adapted to secure the ends of a hat form spring such as is used, for instance, in hats of sailors of the United States Navy.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a fastener or grip adapted for use as above set forth which will maintain the spring at a substantially fixed diameter and yet permit adjustment of the diameter such as occasion may require.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device to be used as pointed out above, which may be cheaply constructed, quickly and easily brought into an operative position to secure the ends of the spring in rigid relation to each other and one which'is of such construction as will not detract from the appearance of the hat in connection with which it is used.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent dur ng the continuance of the following descr1ption:-

In the drawings t Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an ordinary hat of the type worn by sailors showing a part thereof broken away thereby disclosing the form retaining sprlng and the device of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the form retaining spring showing the device of my invention in horizontal cross section and in operative relation to the spring.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the device of my invention in its preferred embodiment.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown in the drawings a hat 10 of the type usually worn by sailors and, in connection therewith, a form retaining spring 11 of the ordinary and usual construction. It is to be fully understood however that I do not limit the use of my invention to the par ticular form. of hat or spring shown but that it may be used to advantage in other capacities and for such other purposes as occasion may require. r

The device of my invention consists generally of a body portion 12 having a transverse elongated slot for the reception of the ends of the spring 11 and a retaining screw i l operating at right angles to the slot 13 and projecting into the slot for the purpose of blnding the ends of the spring and retaining the same in rigid relation as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The retaining screw 14 binds the ends of the spring 11 against the inner face of the rear wall body 12 and at a point in alinement with the retaining screw the rear wall of the body is provided with an opening 15 which by reason of its location with respect to the retaining force of the fastener insures a tighter grip upon the ends of the spring thereby increasing the efficiency of the device.

In constructing the body portion 12 of the device it is contemplated to have the front wall approximately twice as thick as the rear wall in order to insure the proper holding of the retaining screw 14. In other words the retaining screw passes through an opening 15 of the front wall of the body portion which is screw threaded. This particular construction of the body portion can be accomplished by forming the same of an originally flat sheet of metal by bending the metal at points 16 and 17 and overlapping the end portions 18 thereby forming a comparatively thin rear wall and a front wall-of double thickness.

In attaching the spring 11 to the fastener, the retaining screw 14 of the fastener is first operated so as to leave the slot 13 clear. The ends of the spring are then passed through the slot 13 of the fastener in overlapping relation and the spring moved until the desired diameter is reached. The retaining screw is then operated so as to bind the ends of the spring against the rear wall of the fastener thus retaining the same in rigid relation to each other.

What is claimed is 1. In combinatioma body member having a slot to receive the overlapping ends of a hat form spring, a retaining screw mounted in one wall of said body member and adapted to engage the ends of said spring, and said body portion having an opening in 2. A hat form spring fastener comprising a body portion having a slot to receive the ends of the hat form spring, said body portion being formed by bending the end portions of a normally flat strip of metal to overlapping relation spaced from the inter- 10 mediate portion thereof, alined openings in the overlapping ends of said strip of metal, retaining means operating through said alined openings, and the intermediate portion of said strip of metal being provided with an opening in alinement with the aforesaid openings adapted to cooperate with said retaining means in securing the ends of a hat form spring in place.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLAUDE L. GEARHART. 

